Universal sheave block



Oct. 6, 1953 E ALBRIGHT, JR 2,654,571

UNIVERSAL SHEAVE BLOCK Filed Sept. 29, 1952 ZZXW Patented Oct. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE UNIVERSAL SHEAVE BLOCK Edward G. Albright, Jr., Lynwood, Calif. Application September 29, 1952, Serial N 0. 312,036

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a sheave block which is mounted on the bed of a truck for the purpose of guiding a cable which extends to a power driven drum on the truck.

An object of my invention is to provide a universal sheave block which will adjust itself to permit the cable to pull in a wide variety of angles from the sheave block itself. Furthermore, the sheave block can be variously mounted in a socket which is attached to the bed of the truck.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel universal sheave block in which the cable can be easily threaded onto the sheave by lifting a latch which is pivotally mounted on the body of the sheave block.

Another feature of my invention resides in the novel mounting of the trunnion which projects from the sheave plates, this trunnion being journaled in the housing, thus permitting the sheave to rotate through an angle of 360.

Another feature of my invention resides in the novel means of mounting the trunnion in the body of the sheave block assembly and in which the trunnion is tubular, so as to permit the cable to pass lengthwise through the trunmon.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a truck with my sheave block mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the sheave block assembly with parts broken away to show interior construction.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the sheave block assembly.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the same with parts broken away to show interior construction.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the sheave plates and trunnion.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I indicates a truck body upon which a power driven winch or drum 2 is mounted. The cable 3 is wound on the drum 2 and extends over the sheave assembly 4, as will be further described.

The universal sheave block assembly 4 is an socket 5 is provided with a hole therein, and

this hole is preferably square, or some other convenient angular shape. A sheave body 1 is formed with a depending shank 8 and this shank is square or angular in cross-section to conform to the shape of the hole 6. Thus the shank 8 is held in a fixed position in the hole 6.

A pin 9 extends through the socket 5 and the shank 8 to hold this shank within the body and to prevent it from moving upwardly under strain when the cable is pulling from an upward direction. The body 1 is formed with a horizontal bore H3 and this bore acts as a bearing for the trunnion H. The trunnion ll projects from a pair of side plates l2-l3 and is preferably an integral part of these side plates. The trunnion II is formed of tubular stock and is held fixedly in the bearing ID by means of a flange M which is welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the trunnion ll after the trunnion has been positioned in the bearing l I] of the body I.

A slot IS in the top of the trunnion ll permits the cable 3 to drop into the trunnion when it is threaded onto the sheave. A pulley I6 is journaled between the side plates l2-|3 on the pin IT. A latch I8 is pivotally mounted on the body 1 by means of the pins [9 and 20 and this latch closes the slot 2| which is formed in the top of the body 1 and through which the cable 3 passes when it is being threaded onto the pulley Hi.

It will be evident from the foregoing description, that the pulley It can rotate within the body I on its trunnion II and the pulley will align itself with the cable 3', depending upon the direction in which the cable is pulling. The trunnion ll permits rotation around a horizontal axis, as will be evident. The latch [-8 may be provided with a lug 22 which projects into the slot 2|, thus more effectively holding the cable 3 in engagement with the pulley l6, especially when the cable is pulling almost horizontally.

In operation the universal sheave block is mounted on the rear end of the truck body I by bolting or otherwise securing the socket 5 on the back of the body. The shank 8 is now dropped into the socket 5 and thereafter the cable 3 is threaded over the pulley 16 by first lifting the latch l8 so as to expose the slot 2|, and also the opening I5 in the top of the trunnion II. The cable then drops through the slot I I through the opening IS in the trunnion and is then threaded Over the P y all of which is easily and quickly accomplished. Thereafter the pulley l6 will automatically align itself with the direction of pull of the cable 3 by rotation of the trunnion H in its bearing 10 and about a substantially horizontal line.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A universal sheave block comprising a socket having a vertically extending hole therein. a sheave body, a shank depending from said body and fitting in said hole, said body having a substantially horizontal'bone thereimzsaid bo'dybaving a slot therein opening into said bore, and latch means on the body extending over and closing said slot, a pulley, a pair of spaced side plates, a pin mounted in the side, plates, ,sai-d pulley being journaled on said pin, and a trunnion extending from the side :Wl78542i11'd join..- naled in said bore.

2. A universal sheave b'lock -comprising a. socket having a vertically extending hole there: in, a sheave body, a shank depending from said body and ;-fitting in said hole. said bo y a substantially heiizogtai bore therein, a p1;l ey,

a pair of s ace s e lates 3 P1 m unt n t e .z latea sa d -vu Y- emg ieurna d bn i pi ienda rm endi i m t e d plates and journaled in said bore, said trunnion being tubular in form and said trunnion having a slot therein alignable with said slot in the body.

3. A universal sheave block comprising a socket having a vertically extending hole therein, a sheave body, a shank depending from said body and fitting in said hole, said body having a sustantially horizontal bore therein, said body having a slot therein opening into said bore, and .latch means on; the ibgd'yle itendmg'f over and closing said s'lot,-a pulley, a pair of spaced side plates, a pin mounted in the side plates, said xpulley being journaled on said pin, and a trunnionextending from the side plates and journaled in said bore, said trunnion being tubular .dn-rnnm mid said trunnion having a slot therein and. amenabl with Sa slot in the b dy EDWARD G. ALBRIGHT, JR.

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